Commencement preview, with honorary degree in pizzology

USU Eastern Chancellor Joe Peterson rehearses an early version of his commencement remarks to an audience of students at a Chancellor's Call session in the student center.

USU Eastern Chancellor Joe Peterson rehearses an early version of his commencement remarks to an audience of students at a Chancellor's Call session in the student center. While these informal meetings generally deal with questions and answers about student concerns, Peterson wanted to change the agenda to test audience response to his ideas. After reading a few paragraphs of introduction, he spoke extemporaneously - and seamlessly - for about a half hour, blending citations from such diverse sources as Karl Marx and Abraham Maslow. We're not going to spill the beans as to the topic and content before the speech. However, when he was done, he turned to his assistant Viki Bowman and asked, "Am I going to be able to do this is seven or eight minutes?" She answered, "No." Meanwhile, the audience was treated to something commencement attendees won't get: pizza. The pies were hand crafted by the college food service, and one variety - roasted garlic chicken on spinach and basil with parmesan cheese - disappeared quickly. Peterson quipped that Tony Archibald deserved an honorary Ph.D. for the creation. In what field? "Pizzology," the chancellor replied.